The Neptune Factor

For a movie about a race against the clock to rescue a group of scientists trapped in an undersea research facility that's been hit by an earthquake, The Neptune Factor is incredibly dull. The problem is that for most of the movie, nothing happens. Ernest Borgnine (who I'll give a little credit as he does his best with this snoozer of a script), Ben Gazzara, and company spend most of the movie on a slow motion tour of the ocean floor looking for their missing colleagues. Garzzara is the worst, showing the same kind of emotion usually reserved for everyday, mundane tasks like doing the laundry or grocery shopping. You'd hardly know from his demeanor that the lives of three people rest in his hands. And when something does finally happen the special effects are so ridiculous looking that the movie losses any credibility it might have had. The "giant" sea creatures the rescuers run into are little more than normal salt water aquarium fish filmed with a zoom lens and a bad looking miniature of the submarine. That's right - The Neptune Factor looks like it was filmed in someone's home aquarium. A giant clown fish - oooooh, how scary! There's nothing much more frightening than the sight of a ludicrously large Nemo.

To say I was disappointed by The Neptune Factor would be a gross understatement. A good cast is put to waste with nothing to do. In the end, I've got to rate this one a 2/10.

Not a bad effort, really, given that the film was made during the age of Cousteau. Underwater filming of deep ocean life had not been accomplished. Now we know what it looks like way down there, so the fish tank 'special effects' really ruin the story. The first sight of a clown fish is like a slap in the face! The film becomes a comedy after that! But really, this is only because science education (as miserable as it may be) has advanced SO MUCH on television. Now we can sit on our sofa and watch animal planet to get a better seminar on deep ocean life than marine biologists of the day received! So, if you're looking for a top-notch special effects masterpiece, the toy sub floating in the Monterey Bay aquarium's fish tanks probably won't cut it. Nevertheless, it's an entertaining few minutes, anyway. I say, watch it and try to forget about reality for a while. Pretend you're TEN!

Wow, an underwater film shot completely on location - at the bottom of the production designers' fishtank! This action-drama basically involves about 80 minutes of the main characters staring out of their mini-sub's windshield/projection screen with awestruck expressions at... grainily blown up shots of common acquarium fish. The "model shots" (a generous naming) actually DO look to have been shot in a common home aquarium, complete with plastic ferns and oversize gravel. The stretch is so great, the disparity so big, I didn't know whether to laugh or cry. I think in the end I simply gave up and decided to vomit. Not sure how Walter Pidgeon took a wrong turn into this turkey, but it is worth noting that about half the cast of "The Black Hole" is featured here - doubtless in a dry run for their performances in that later classic...

A short budget underwater movie packing cheap FX to make regular-size fish seem like deep-sea giants , little emotion , and being nothing special . The Scientist Project Neptune team is doing oceanographic research under control of commander Dr Andrews (Walter Pidgeon). Then an underwater ocean lab is missing in a earthquake . After the catastrophe they're trapped too deep for divers , the only chance to rescue them is an aquatic research team by means of an advanced submarine . It is sent down to find the remains of the lab on the ocean floor a new US Navy mini-sub . In search for their colleagues the crew is piloted by the demanding Cdr Blake USN. Blake (Ben Gazzarra) , Chief Diver MacKay (Ernest Borgnine) , Diver Cousins (Donnelly Rhodes) , and beautiful Dr. Jansen (Yvette Mimieux) . Along the way they find risks , periculous adventures and outrageous beings of marine wildlife.

Low budget disaster movie with submarine adventures carried out by a brave team of an experimental deep-sea sub , thrills , sea monsters and fantasy . Poor special effects , as the giant monsters result to be simple optically enhanced marine wildlife . Runtime is adequate , the flick is slow moving and a little boring , as well as a bit monotonous and little interesting with a series of dumb plot ideas written by Jack DeWitt . There are suspense , thriller and tension , though the scenario is mostly developed into the mini sub to attempt the rescue . Tense and exciting at times and climatic ending , but lot of minutes are superfluous , though agreeable enough.

Here stands out the thrilling and adequate musical score by the classic composer of the 60s and 70s Lalo Schifrin . As well as colorful cinematography by Harry Makin . The motion picture was midddlingly directed by Daniel Petrie with many holes , flaws and gaps . He was a director and producer, known for The bay boy (1984) , A raisin in the sun (1961) , Harry S. Truman: Plain Speaking (1976) , Sybil (1976) , My name is Bill W. (1989) , The Assistant (1997) , Wild Iris (2001) . Daniel explored difficult filmmaking subjects ahead of his time , including A raisin in the sun (1961), which dealt with racism, and The Doll Maker (1984) , which dealt with women as breadwinners . Petrie also served in a number of leadership positions with the Directors Guild of America. Rating The Neptuno Factor : 4/10 . Very mediocre . Only for fans of the famous actors .

If I didn't know any better, I would say The Neptune Factor is a subtle parody on the "disaster Genre" movies of the 1970s. It is certainly not "Airplane", a zany take on the disaster genre, but rather an understated satire. The Rear screen projection of aquarium fish, only adds to the surreal, hypnotic affect this movie had on me. To quote Kirk Douglas from the Disney classic 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, "Why I've seen scarier fish in my Aunt Fannie's gold fish bowl". Amazing what a little imagination and creativity can do for a parody of a low budget movie.